The German architect Luwig Mies Van Rohe, was given the responsibility to
design his countries Pavilion (exhibition stand) for the 1929 Barcelona
World Fair. The pavilion was to house manufactured German products, to
promote German design, engineering and technology, in the same way trade
fairs do today. His ‘Barcelona Chair’ (also called the Pavilion Chair) was
designed between 1928 and 1929. It was one of the German exhibits at the
Barcelona World Fair. It quickly became known as a classic modernist
design. He became Director of Architecture, at the Bauhaus in 1930.

The original chair, each side frame was manufactured from two pieces of
steel welded together and then ‘bolted’ together. In the 1950s stainless
steel, a new material in furniture manufacture, was used for the
construction of the frames. The adoption of stainless steel meant that the
frame could be manufactured in one piece, without joint lines. It was mass
produced in 1950s by ‘Knoll’ furniture manufacturers and this continues
today.

From the side, the frame of the chair has a ‘scissor form, a
sign of power from ancient Egyptian times. manufactured from two pieces of
steel welded together. The welds are hand finished to a polished finish.
The frame is them chromed, a relatively new technique as applied to
furniture in 1929.

The cushions of the chair complement the
curved frame. They are hand sewn from individual pieces of quality leather
(the original chair had pig skin upholstery.